Existing mobile devices e.g. phones, Smartphones, tablets and the like, have a multitude of functions that provide connectivity and communications services to a user. Such devices are used for making phone calls, checking e-mail, getting directions, playing games, searching the web, searching for places of interest on a map, amongst a host of other things.
Mobile devices have become an essential and inseparable part of the lifestyle. People use these devices for personal communications as well as for office communications, since carrying two separate devices, one for personal use and the other for office work, is not an efficient solution.
Additionally mobile devices are a fashion and trend statements and people bring personal mobile devices that they prefer e.g. Smartphones and tablets to the workplace and use them for work as well as personal communications. Another factor is that employers in order to curtail costs, do not want to be responsible for mobile device related bills and encourage the use of personal mobile devices in the workplace.
Thus a trend is emerging called “bring your own device”. Many times use of such devices violates the corporate security policies. For example when several people are in a meeting and one person sends a file to some or all the attendees by e-mail, a file which may only be shared with a select audience, there is no way to check what privileges the attendees have before they receive the file. Thus co-workers who may not have the corporate clearance to receive sensitive data tend to receive it, since there are no checks in place when files are sent by e-mail as attachments using personal mobile devices. Further, the recipients may receive a file in unsecured form or in a form stripped of file protections (protections which may be intended to be device- or user-specific per corporate policy).
Therefore we note that prior art methods have inherent limitations. Accordingly, there is a need for providing a secure method of file sharing using Bluetooth or Near Field Communications (NFC) for improved corporate security such that the policies defined are taken into account when sharing files using personal mobile devices. It would be desirable to provide a method and system to overcome these disadvantages of the prior art.